Jumwa turns down Raila Odinga's olive branch

Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa on Tuesday refused to apologise to ODM, insisting that her expulsion from the party was illegal.

She said the disciplinary committee that recommended her punishment was not properly constituted.

Speaking in Parliament soon after ODM leader Raila Odinga extended her an olive branch, the vocal MP maintained that she had made her position clear when she appeared before the National Executive Committee (Nec) to defend herself.

“I have heard what my party leader has said. But I want to take this opportunity to ask him to demand a brief from Nec on what transpired when I appeared before it,” Ms Jumwa said.

“By asking for an apology, I don’t know if Mr Odinga is saying that I should repeat what I told Nec or not. But to make it clear, he should demand records of the Nec proceedings. Everything is in there.”

FORGIVENESS

Challenged by journalists to explain what she meant and whether she had apologised when she appeared before Nec, she could neither confirm nor deny, telling journalists to find out from the party.

She however accused the party of double standards, saying her plea for pardon, which was communicated to the party by her lawyer Kipchumba Murkomen, had been rejected by Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna.

“I asked for an opportunity to appear before the national governing council with my lawyer to explain myself. But Mr Sifuna rejected it, saying my appearance there was not provided in law.”

Speaking at Toi market in Kibra, Nairobi, following a fire that destroyed over 1,900 stalls, Mr Odinga asked Ms Jumwa to apologise to be brought back into the fold.

"We forgave (Msambweni MP Suleiman) Dori after he apologised. So if Aisha Jumwa does the same, we will forgive her," said Mr Odinga.

HANDSHAKE

He further scoffed at claims that his handshake with President Uhuru Kenyatta sounded a death knell to Jubilee Party.

Mr Odinga said such claims were far-fetched, adding that the identities of the respective parties would remain even as they work together.

“The handshake was not meant to bring down the Jubilee Party. Raila will continue donning the ODM jersey, while President Kenyatta will wear his Jubilee colours,” he said.

His sentiments appear to have been directed towards a section of MPs allied to Deputy President William Ruto who, at the weekend, claimed his deal with the President is aimed at bringing down the ruling party.

The leaders, who included Senate Majority leader Murkomen and Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot, spoke on Saturday at Kaporuso village during the burial of Mr Collins Kalya, the son of Bomet East MP Beatrice Kones and former Cabinet minister Kipkalya Kones (deceased).

However, Mr Odinga insisted that the handshake will rid the country of several vices including corruption. “We should not bring tribes into this war. If an individual is corrupt, he or she should carry their own cross,” he said.